Changing main generators

I was somewhat annoyed by comments made in an article in

RAIL 837 about changing Class 50 main generators, in which it is stated that a Class 50 main generator was changed in one day at Kidderminster with such an operation taking five shifts in BR days. This is downright insulting to Main Works Engineers

I was a fitter, a leading hand fitter, and erecting shop foreman during my career, with steam, diesel & electric locomotives.

In 50 years in Crewe Works Erecting Shop, my brother and I changed more Class 50 main generators than probably anybody else on the LM region, so know full well what is required to change them and how to do a first-class engineering job.

In Crewe Works we were fully geared up with all the facilities required to do any type of work on diesel locomotives, and yet the article would have readers believe that an amateur set-up (in comparison) could do this work five times quicker…

I think it is incumbent upon these supermen to give us all a blow-byblow account of how they achieved this feat, together with the tolerances they worked to, and also a full account of what is involved - including preparing the power unit to ensure optimum power curves on the final static load bank testing. No two

generators are identical, and so require setting up with all the associated work involved. Keith J Collier, Ex-Crewe Works Engineer